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Kelowna’s Gospel Mission has a new tool to help the homeless population.

The organization has acquired a new van that will allow it to expand its outreach services.

“We’re just so thankful,” said Troy McKnight, corporate and community relations officer for the Gospel Mission.

“We actually went to a number of corporate partners in town, and, even in the midst of the challenges of COVID, a number of the companies stepped up and the van is fully paid for.”

Kelowna’s Gospel Mission is hoping to raise $50,000 on Saturday when it conducts its 10th annual Strides to End Homelessness event.

The Mission is inviting the community to do a two- or five-kilometre walk or a 10-kilometre run with members of their bubble on Saturday, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Strides to End Homelessness is a perfect event during COVID,” Gospel Mission executive director Carmen Rempel said in a press release. “People can put on their Strides toque and walk with their family ‘bubble’ while reflecting on how important secure housing is.

This is the first article in a Capital News series entitled ‘Untold’. In partnership with Kelowna’s Gospel Mission, these stories will feature people who are or have experienced homelessness in Kelowna.

Overnight, David Short lost everything.

Two years ago he was walking home from working at a restaurant in downtown Kelowna when he fell and hit his head. When he woke up in the hospital, doctors told him he had suffered a seizure and fractured his skull.

By the end of the night they will have fed 500, and for those that don’t have much, a warm meal lovingly prepared by a stranger can go a long way.

On Saturday, Kelowna’s Gospel Mission took to the road to distribute warm turkey dinners to those in need. One of their first stops was a gravel parking lot on Baillie Avenue, where dozens of people eagerly accepted their gift.

No pandemic can stop Kelowna’s Gospel Mission from serving its annual Christmas dinner, but this year, they are adapting the service to keep staff, volunteers and residents safe.

The Gospel Mission said they will serve the traditional meal to the residents living in their 60-bed Leon Avenue shelter and 40-bed winter shelter at Doyle Avenue on Saturday, Dec. 19.

It was a happy Thanksgiving at Kelowna Gospel Mission on Monday afternoon as 60 residents lined up for the annual Thanksgiving dinner.

Executive director Carmen Rempel says that this year, giving thanks has more meaning than ever.

"In 2020, if we have an opportunity to celebrate, we're going to take that opportunity and take a moment and celebrate, so Thanksgiving is a great opportunity for us to gather together, have a meal together that's a little bit special."

The Kelowna Gospel Mission's massive Thanksgiving dinner will still happen this year, however, it will look different due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Mission's Executive Director Carmen Rempel tells Castanet that staff are eager and excited for another Thanksgiving.

"Fall changes the seasons at our shelter just like everywhere else," she says. "We're really looking forward to our big Thanksgiving dinner that's coming up which is a great opportunity to engage with the community every year, although it will look a little bit different this year."

With temperatures expected to be 35 degrees or hotter for the remainder of the week, most people have the ability to head indoors to remain cool, but what if you can’t escape the extreme heat?

Those roughing it on the streets are posted in tents in various locations of the city and don’t have access to air conditioning as COVID-19 has closed most indoor areas such as libraries, stores and restaurants.

That’s why the Kelowna Gospel Mission has outreach teams to provide essentials to those without a home.

“It is a team of people that is going out there 13 hours a day, finding people who are living it rough on the streets,” explains Carmen Rempel, executive director of the Kelowna Gospel Mission.

Outgoing Gospel Mission executive director Randy Benson was honoured with the Anita Tozer Memorial Award.

That award is bestowed by council to an individual or group in recognition of an extraordinary and positive contribution to the quality of life in Kelowna.

Benson came to Kelowna in 1993 as a youth pastor at Willow Park Church.

He took on the role as executive director of the Gospel Mission in 2001, a position he will soon step down from.

"We serve many, and we rescue some," said Benson.

"The fact that we do see people saved from lifestyles that are destructive, and we see them get back on their feet, I really believe we are doing important work."

Carmen Rempel will start in the position on June 15. She is a Kelowna local who comes to the Mission with more than 10 years of experience in the non-profit field.

A longtime Kelowna restaurant owner will be providing dinner for many of Kelowna's homeless population Thursday.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and resulting slow down of the economy, has hit everyone hard, including the city's most vulnerable.

Gurvinder Momi, owner of Dawett, Da Tandoor and Chutney Indian Cuisine, along with realtor Gary Judge and Karam Kler of Forever Destiny Homes will be delivering dinner to the Kelowna Gospel Mission Thursday afternoon to help during these difficult times.

The Kelowna Gospel Mission will be shutting its doors to the public starting Wednesday due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With border access restricted, major sporting events being suspended and even major corporations shutting their doors, the mission decided to take measures of their own.

“Starting this week we’re going to be cutting back to just essential services, which is food and shelter for the people which are registered as guests here,” explains Randy Benson, executive director at the Kelowna Gospel Mission.

Kelowna will Take Strides to End Homelessness on Sunday.

The annual event brings in money to support the Gospel Mission with family-friendly two and five-kilometre walks and a 10-kilometre run.

While the Okanagan freezes during the cold snap, more people are heading to Kelowna's Gospel Mission.

"We're one of the places that's open during the day for people to stay in, so our daytime business has been much busier," says executive director Randy Benson.

However, the shelter is currently at capacity for overnight hours, as all 76 beds are taken.

"With the other agencies opening up a couple cold weather shelters, it seems as a community we've been able to keep up with the need," says Benson.

Eight weeks after local production company Solid Rock Video shut down Leon Avenue to film a community street hockey game, the much-awaited final product has been released.

The two-and-a-half minute film was produced for Kelowna Gospel Mission's Christmas fundraising campaign in an effort to humanize homelessness.

"I think when you're a young lad, you have dreams that you might be an NHL player one day," says one of the men featured in the video.

"Growing up I played soccer, baseball... those were probably the better times, the good times," said another.

Randy Benson the executive director of Kelowna's Gospel Mission has announced he will retire in 2020, after working at the Mission since 2001.

"I'm very thankful for the 18-plus years that I've had here, it's been a great ride for me," said Benson. "My hope and prayer is that the good work of the Gospel Mission will continue."

Hockey players and fans alike gathered at Leon Avenue on Tuesday to star in a street hockey game, filmed by local production company Solid Rock Video.

West Kelowna Warriors players turned up for the game, as well as various Leon Ave residents and drop-in extras.

Kelowna's Gospel Mission held a free Thanksgiving turkey dinner for 900 guests Monday from noon until 6 p.m.

The staff and volunteers have been working hard for the past couple of weeks in order to have what is historically the Mission's largest meal.

Kelowna's Gospel Mission hosted its third annual 'Homelessness is Not Picnic' community barbecue. Dozens of guests from the shelter joined members of the community to enjoy live music and free food.

An unveiling ceremony will soon be held for a mural completed on the walls of the courtyard at Kelowna’s Gospel Mission.

The mural is comprised of illustrations that tell tales of the 19th century Okanagan Chinese pioneers; a myriad of mining and railway construction, farming and Chinese calligraphy paintings that come together to tell a common narrative.

A Gospel Mission cat named Casador, still has nine lives, thanks to some quick intervention.

Kelowna Gospel Mission will be able to continue to help those most in need, thanks to the donation of a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan from the Kelowna Auto Dealers Association.

The dealers handed over the keys Friday afternoon, and Gospel Mission executive director Randy Benson says his team is thrilled.

''Much of our ministry is about helping guests get to appointments and various activities, so that's what this van will be used for.''

Things will be blooming at the Kelowna Gospel Mission, thanks to the Okanagan Chinese Canadian Association.

Over the weekend, executives of Kelowna's Gospel Mission and representatives of the OCCA planted seeds of the Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Kelowna's official flower, in the downtown property on Leon.

Kelowna's Gospel Mission will again open its doors for a free Easter dinner for anyone in need in the community.

Dinner will be served in the Mission's dining room on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.

"Everyone will be able to enjoy a traditional Easter meal of ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and all the fixings, followed by pie generously donated by the Bernard Avenue Safeway," the Mission said in a news release.

Hundreds of hungry mouths were fed last week when staff from Castanet and their community partners Total Restoration spent Thursday preparing and serving meals at Kelowna's Gospel Mission.

While the Mission serves hundreds of meals to the community's hungry every single day, Castanet joined in on the 40 for 40 campaign to celebrate the organization's 40th anniversary.

he 40th annual Christmas Dinner will be served at Kelowna’s Gospel Mission this Saturday.
From noon to 6 p.m., the KGM will open it’s doors to those in need within our community, to feast on a hearty dinner with all the traditional Christmas fixings.

2% Realty Okanagan Ltd. invite your friends and family to join them for their 1st Annual Holiday Kick-Off! Join us for free skating, Santa photos and snacks at the Capital News Centre from 12:45 pm to 2:45 pm on Saturday, November 10th, 2018. They are collecting non-perishable food items, gloves and cash to benefit Kelowna's Gospel Mission.

George Pierce has been clean and sober for 41 years, and off the streets for more than 20 years - but he still remembers his dark days like it was yesterday.

Pierce, 70, and dozens of other volunteers gave up part of their holiday Monday to help feed, and comfort, those less fortunate than themselves.

They were part of the team who will serve about 800 meals to the homeless and downtrodden at Kelowna's Gospel Mission.

"I'm a skid-row survivor from Vancouver," Pierce says proudly.

"I've been in Kelowna since 1977. I was 29 when I sobered up."

The sound of businesses speaking up about the homelessness issue in Kelowna keeps getting louder, and it promises to be one of the primary talking points of the municipal election campaign leading up to Oct. 20.

Kelowna’s Gospel Mission would like businesses to know they can do something about the issue before they head to the ballot box. They can get involved and sponsor a program that will aid in the fight against homelessness.

Kelowna’s Gospel Mission presented their third annual Charity Golf Classic on September 7th, 2018 at Sunset Ranch Golf & Country Club. Our goal was to raise $20,000 to help emergency shelter programs. We are excited to announce that we exceeded this goal and, with our golfers and sponsors help, raised $32,000!
We are so grateful to our title sponsor, Source Office Furnishings and the following sponsors who supported our event. We could not have done it without you!

Warm weather doesn’t mean shelter for Kelowna’s homeless.
The second annual Homeless is No Picnic event, hosted by Kelowna’s Gospel Mission, took place in City Park Saturday, in order to spread awareness about homelessness in the city.

To celebrate the hard work done by local non-profit and social service agencies, the Kelowna Gospel Mission (KGM) hosted their 8th annual Well Done BBQ on Wednesday afternoon.

Non-profit and social service agencies working to help people who are homeless and struggling with addictions, mental health issues and unaffordable housing gathered at the Kelowna Gospel Mission Wednesday for the 8th annual Well Done BBQ.

“We called people together to recognize that we do good work together and as a message to our community that as agencies, we’re not working in silos, we’re working together and it’s our collaboration and cooperation that brings us successes,” said Randy Benson, executive director of the Kelowna Gospel Mission.

Local groups represented at the lunch included homeless shelters, housing providers, addiction resources, Interior Health, the Downtown Kelowna Association and the RCMP.

Working together to bring services to people in need is essential to ensure good communication and collaboration and to prevent the duplicating of services, said Benson.

Several volunteers spent their Saturday on the roof of the Kelowna Gospel Mission Saturday, helping save the shelter $1,000 per year in expenses.

Crews from Okanagan Solar, along with Highstreet Ventures, spent the day installing a solar panel array on the building, worth about $20,000. The money saved through the free energy from the new system will be spent on providing services to the Mission's clients.

“Look at the need in town, I mean, just helping to give back to the community,” said Rob Monteith, owner of Okanagan Solar.

Monteith said the idea started last fall, when he was driving some of his suppliers down Leon Street.

“There happened to be a couple hundred people in the street and I said to (the suppliers), 'If you guys have any extra materials that you want to donate, this would be a good place to see if we could help them out with some grid-type power,'” Monteith said. “And they all immediately said yes.

The Kelowna Gospel Mission has been holding their annual Easter dinner for more than 30 years, providing warm meals for those in the community who may not have a place to eat a family meal.

On Saturday, 50 turkeys, 18 hams, 500 pounds of potatoes, eight cases of frozen vegetables, along with stuffing, gravy and pies to top it all off were served up at the Gospel Mission on Leon Avenue to an expected 900 people.

“We like to have a family atmosphere,” said Randy Benson, executive director of the Gospel Mission. “It's a matter of making everybody feel like they have value, that we're all equal in our society and we're all deserving of that fellowship and that time together.

On Saturday afternoon, just over 200 locals gathered at the Kelowna Gospel Mission (KGM) to participate in the 7th annual Strides to End Homelessness.

A broken slicer could have put a serious damper on Christmas dinner at the Kelowna Gospel Mission, but the Morningside Rotary Club stepped up to save the day.

After the Gospel Mission’s old slicer broke, the Morningside Rotary Club purchased a state of the art commercial slicer for the shelter.

Chiropractors in Kelowna and West Kelowna have been volunteering for four years at Kelowna’s Gospel Mission.

They come to the emergency shelter at 259 Leon Ave. every Wednesday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. to adjust anyone who can’t afford to visit a chiropractor.

Harmony House is Kelowna's Gospel Mission's 13 bed women's transitional home.

All of the homeless shelters in Kelowna are full and over capacity, causing a critical crisis in the city.

The Kelowna Gospel Mission was expecting half a dozen people when temperatures turned blustery last week, but more than they could handle showed up on their door steps.

“We were asked if we could put a few mats down on the floor in our dining room,” said Randy Benson, executive director.

Last Thursday night, 30 people showed up.

Long before the weather turned cold, Kelowna’s three homeless shelters were operating at or over capacity, and the demand for shelter continues to grow.

“The fact we’re entering our cold season with our shelters already at capacity is an indication of the great need that’s out there,” said Randy Benson, executive director of Kelowna’s Gospel Mission.

The Gospel Mission has 90 beds and is consistently full.

“We’ve been really scrambling to try to figure out what we’re going to do,” said Benson.

Kelowna’s Gospel Mission cooked 1,000 Thanksgiving dinners.

Over 50 volunteers have been preparing for the annual dinner for the past month.

“Our cooks prepared 66 turkeys, 20 hams, 500 pounds of potatoes and of course along with that is all the dressing, vegetables and gravy. Lots of food preparation,” said Randy Benson, Executive Director of Kelowna’s Gospel Mission.

Everyone was welcome to the dinner including people who stayed at the emergency shelter as well as anyone who is struggling to make ends meet.

Kelowna’s Gospel Mission is hosting its second annual charity golf tournament Friday at Sunset Ranch Golf and Country Club.

The goal of the tournament is to raise $20,000 for emergency shelter programs.

‘It’s been a very difficult year at our shelter with increased need and lack of housing available,” said Randy Benson, executive director of the Gospel Mission. “This is a great opportunity to have fun while helping those in need.”

Kelowna Gospel Mission thanked its volunteers and service partners for a job well done, Thursday.

The mission held its annual Well Done Barbecue, serving up burgers at the Leon Avenue agency to those who help feed and shelter the homeless.

“This is our seventh annual ... and it’s a time to celebrate and get together with all the service providers and to recognize the good work that we do here in Kelowna," said executive director Randy Benson.

Kelowna’s Gospel Mission’s staff were overwhelmed by the generosity of the Morningside Rotary Club with a timely gift of a commercial steamer to help prepare over 600 meals per day.

The shelter relies on a steamer to cook their eggs, potatoes, vegetables, rice and pasta. They were distraught when it broke down with the big Easter banquet coming up. With the limited stoves and stove tops, they weren’t sure how they would cook the 300 pounds of potatoes that the banquet required. This is when the Morningside Rotary Club stepped in. After hearing about the breakdown they purchased a brand new steamer at the cost of $5,000.

A delicious Easter dinner awaits at Kelowna's Gospel Mission.

Volunteers have been busy preparing 50 turkeys, 300 pounds of potatoes and 21 hams that will be served on Saturday from Noon until 6:00 p.m.

"We strive every day to bring that hope, whether it is to homeless, the working poor or the seniors in need that we serve," said Randy Benson, executive director of the Gospel Mission. "These meals are so important for bringing people together in a family-like atmosphere and Kelowna is a family.

With the help of Kelowna Gospel Mission, he’s been clean and off the streets.

Now, this is his second year volunteering at the mission’s Stride to End Homelessness.

He volunteers at the mission almost every week, he said.

“I came here and the staff saved my life so I keep on coming back,” said O’Brien.

He volunteers at the event to meet new people and bring awareness to the community, he said.

“If you show that you’re really working towards yourself, they’ll do anything. I can’t give enough back for what they’ve done for me.”

Many people shiver and complain going from their warm home to their car in the morning.

But, what about the homeless, who have nowhere to go to escape the frigid temperatures?

The Homeless Hub recently researched how many people call the streets of Kelowna home.

In 2016, they came out with a study that determined 279 individuals are estimated to be living on the streets, and 164 are living in homeless shelters.

During this cold snap, Kelowna's Gospel Mission is open all hours of the day to make sure the homeless keep warm.

You know the adage “You can’t judge a book by its cover?”

The same is true of Kelowna’s Gospel Mission. Drive down the 200 block of Leon Avenue and you may well see a handful of people standing or sitting around on either side of the street.

To too many people in Kelowna, that IS Kelowna’s Gospel Mission.

But nothing could be further from the truth. Inside the walls is a totally different story.

The average number of people we serve in a day is around 200.

Of those, 33 per cent have a place to live and use our services of food and support in order to remain housed. Fifty per cent of the people that come through our doors have an active case plan and are working with a case worker to achieve independence and self-sustenance.

KELOWNA - Kelowna’s Gospel Mission will serve their annual Christmas Dinner to anyone in the community from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 259 Leon Ave.

With the help of community support, Kelowna’s Gospel Mission expects to serve close to 700 Christmas meals on Saturday.

People from all over the Central Okanagan, including many seniors and families, will come to enjoy our traditional Christmas meal of turkey with stuffing, ham, mashed potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, rolls and pie.

KelownaNow podcast: Sonja Menyes from Kelowna's Gospel Mission
It's arguably the most challenging time of the year for the Kelowna Gospel Mission.

Not only is it the holidays, which is a tough time of year for a lot of people, especially those down on their luck, but it's also the coldest time of the year.

Temperatures have been hitting -20C in Kelowna at night over the last few days and haven't been going above zero during the day, which aren't only tough conditions to sleep in, but tough conditions to survive in.

Local restaurants will treat clients of the Gospel Mission in downtown Kelowna to gourmet meals over the next several weeks.

The restaurants will bring chefs, staff and food to the mission, and cook up meals for more than 200 people.

“The Christmas season is a difficult time for the homeless and these great restaurants are helping to bring hope for the holidays,” Randy Benson, executive director of the Gospel Mission, said in a press release. “We are so humbled and grateful.”

Christmas in our Community is the second annual event sponsored by Kelowna’s Gospel Mission and Powers Creek Community Church, to help bring Christmas to West Kelowna’s friends and neighbours.

It is being held at Westbank Lions Community Centre, 2466 Main Street, West Kelowna, beginning at 5:30pm on Saturday, November 26, 2016.

At this stage of her life, the Kelowna Gospel Mission is home for Sheyanne Smith.

She has been living at the emergency shelter since January when her family lost the home that she, her mom, brother and mom's boyfriend were living in.

Living at the Gospel Mission until she can find another form of housing, Sheyanne has volunteered there every day on an average of 10 to 12 hours a day, sometimes more.

After shutting its doors six weeks ago, the Kelowna Gospel Mission’s free dental clinic will reopen Monday.

For more than a decade the clinic has been offering free treatment to clients who need dental work but don’t have the means to pay for it

It’s traditionally the Kelowna Gospel Mission’s biggest meal, but this Thanksgiving the need is even greater with homeless numbers in the city reaching staggering highs.

Kelowna’s Gospel Mission courtyard is officially open for use.

Leon Avenue has often been cluttered with the personal belongings of those served by the Gospel Mission – causing complaints about the eyesore.

Randy Benson with the Gospel Mission says there was no place for clients to wait for services outside except the sidewalk, but that has changed.

Expect Leon Avenue to look a little less cluttered, as new free storage units will give Kelowna’s homeless a place to store their carts and belongings.

The Kelowna Gospel Mission has just finished construction of 12 small sheds, making them available to its clients free of charge.

The mission partnered with the City of Kelowna and BC Housing to construct the sheds, to deal with what executive director Randy Benson calls the “the whole situation on Leon Avenue.”

The Kelowna Gospel Mission has partnered with outside agencies to help solve the issue of clutter and congestion along Leon Avenue.

Kelowna's Gospel Mission holds first ever charity golf classic

Randy Benson’s business is booming, but he won’t get a million-dollar bonus.

In 15 years on the job, Benson has quadrupled staff and serves twice as many clients daily, but that’s not necessarily good news, either.

Benson is executive director of Kelowna Gospel Mission, the downtown centre with shelter beds, meals and outreach work for the homeless and working poor.

Randy Benson, executive director of Kelowna’s Gospel Mission, said they were offered the dental residency program by UBC this year, but they need a fully licensed dentist in the clinic at all times to oversee everything.

Kelowna’s Gospel Mission applauds community partners with barbecue!
The Mission, found at 259 Leon Ave., hosted members of the Kelowna RCMP, Kelowna city councillors and a variety of local social agencies on Wednesday, June 8, over the lunch hour.

Randy Benson, executive director of Kelowna’s Gospel Mission, said they set out to thank other non-profits and partners in the area who have helped to improve the community over the past year.

KELOWNA – From cooking up soup and hot dogs for lunch, to offering donated toiletries and clothing, a group of grade 12 students from Mount Boucherie Secondary are spending some of their final days in high school getting to know Kelowna’s homeless population.